A bus tour scheduled to stop in Newcastle next week will give a voice to people on "informed consent" and "medical discrimination", the Australian Vaccination-risk Network (AVN) says.
Inspired by a similar movement in America, the AVN purchased a bus in 2020 and began touring the country to hear stories on Australia's experience with vaccines.
"On the bus we have approximately 500 signatures and we know that when we go to an area not everyone is coming forward," AVN president and Mayfield resident Nadine Sisterson told the Newcastle Herald.
"A lot of people are really scared to tell their story because they have been ostracised from their family or friends.
"If you question vaccines you are treated like the crud of the earth. You're diseased, you don't deserve to have children and you're ostracised. I think that's really disgraceful."
AVN has been operating for almost 30 years and, Ms Sisterson said, membership has grown 35 per cent since the beginning of the pandemic. She said the group isn't opposed to vaccines, but wants to "raise awareness about the risks involved" and advocate for an end to mandated vaccinations.
"We have complete respect for what anybody wants to do with their body," she said. "We want to see all of Australian have a choice when it comes to their medical autonomy.
"We want to see legislation change and be more accommodating to the population."
The most recent figures put out by the Theraputic Good's Administration (TGA) state that as of September 4 there had had been around 136,000 adverse events reported about any form of COVID vaccine out of more than 63 million administered doses, or slightly more than 0.2 per cent.
"Vaccination against COVID-19 is the most effective way to reduce deaths and severe illness from infection," the TGA website states.
"The protective benefits of vaccination far outweigh the potential risks."
The VaxXed Bus will leave from Coffs Harbour on September 20, stop in Newcastle on September 22 and arrive in Wagga on October 2.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on the Newcastle Herald website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. Sign up for a subscription here.
